Meta

Posts Tagged ‘Cinnamon’

It’s estimated that approximately 30%-50% of the population is affected by chronic halitosis or oral malodor, the technical terms for ongoing bad breath. In most instances, the cause originates in the oral cavity. Improving dental hygiene is sometimes enough to remedy the situation. In practice, this means brushing at least twice-daily and flossing prior to retiring at night. However, if proper oral care is already in place, then odiferous foods and substances (alcoholic beverages, cruciferous vegetables, garlic and onions, tobacco, etc.) and/or other factors, including diabetes, gastro-esophageal reflux (GERD), medication side-effects and metabolic disorders may be involved. When in doubt, it’s best to identify the cause with the assistance of a health care professional as any underlying medical condition should be addressed and not masked.

As of November 18, 2011, the antidiabetic drug Avandia (rosiglitazone) will no longer be available at retail pharmacies. New guidelines set forth by the US Food and Drug Administration now require that the medication only be prescribed to patients who are already benefiting from it and/or those who don’t respond to other drugs used to control blood sugar. This reversal in policy is largely due to post marketing data indicating an elevated risk of heart attacks in patients who use it. Read more »

Walking down the miles of aisles of nutritional supplements in any given health food store is enough to intimidate almost anyone. Which brand do you choose? How much should you take? Do you ask for advice from the on-site “supplement expert” or “go with your gut”? The best rule of thumb is to never shop for something of importance without first preparing. Nutritional supplements, when used in an informed and judicious manner, have the potential to impact your health in a decidedly positive manner. But if you don’t do your homework ahead of time then you’re essentially gambling with your health. This often means wasting time and money. And, worse, it could even mean that you’re inadvertently endangering your health. Read more »

New Year’s Day is a time when many people vow to make healthy changes in their diets. Reducing sugar intake frequently tops this to-do list. Beginning the process of dietary change with resolve goes a long way toward accomplishing this end. But for long term success, you’ll also need to plan ahead and pool together as many resources as possible. For instance, how are you going to react when you encounter your first, second or fiftieth craving for something sweet? Will you call upon your inner strength or join a support group to get you through? These are options that work well for some people. Another way to go is to opt for a similar type of treat that adheres to your new nutritional guidelines. In my experience, a combination of these and other strategies usually works best. Read more »

When you’re on a gluten-free, low carbohydrate diet you need to be inventive if you hope to have a richly satisfying and varied diet. I follow this type of eating plan because it suits my health better than any other diet I’ve ever tried before. The science supporting the avoidance of gluten, a protein found in many grains, and carbohydrate restriction played a big part in informing my decision. Thankfully, I’ve also created and discovered numerous recipes and products that help make my chosen diet a pleasure instead of a burden.Read more »

The Healthy Fellow test kitchen really lives up to its name. I’m constantly experimenting with different recipes and ways of preparing healthy food. Some of the creations I come up with appear on this site. Others are simply used as part of my personal wellness routine until it occurs to me to post them. Of late, the medical literature has yielded a few tantalizing new studies pertaining to the health attributes of dark chocolate. As it happens, I’m currently in the midst of a hot cocoa revival at home. On more days than not, there’s been a wintry chill in the air and a steaming mug of hot chocolate right by my side.Read more »

Hello. I’m the Healthy Fellow and I’m addicted to coffee. Well, maybe “addicted” is overstating it a bit, but apart from water, it’s the beverage that I consume the most in my daily life. I genuinely enjoy the taste of most high quality coffees and I actually consider it to be a health promoting beverage on the whole. But just like any other favorite drink or food, it can become rather monotonous if I always drink it exactly the same way. Boring! Read more »

Medical studies often yield three different types of information. Firstly, findings that either confirm or dispute prior research. Performing multiple experiments helps scientists to form a consensus about the efficacy of any given treatment. A second category of evidence assists researchers to better understand how and why a therapy is effective. This knowledge allows for a more specific application of the test substance. Lastly, the third side on this medical triangle has to do with the discovery of new applications for already known medications and procedures. These observations take place in both allopathic and natural medicine. Read more »

When I smell the distinctive aroma of cinnamon, I usually think of decadent treats such as pumpkin pie and cinnamon rolls. Then my mind quickly reminds me that these are exactly types of foods that people with blood sugar issues (like me) should be avoiding. But I’m not one to give up easily. I think it’s possible, even advantageous to keep cinnamon around in our quest to eat a more healthful diet. Read more »